White Roses
by ll Akane Nakatsukasa ll
Summary: Rachel was always an outcast everywhere she goes. One day, a strange new boy walks into her life and something about him gets her attention. They start talking and feel a weird connection, but she still wonders, will he accept her for who she is? HIATUS
1. Prologue

**Hi~! This is only my second fanfic, so please don't be excessively criticising! T.T So, here is the first chapter of the story! ^_^ Yeah... But, I predict this story will be rather short. That aside, I hope thsi story is satisfactory! :)**

~No one's POV~

It was he, Jeremy Ashworth, that Rachel Everwitt has always been observing from afar; Jeremy was the man who continuously ran through her thoughts day by day. Her shy, introvert exterior kept Rachel from even approaching him. And sometimes, Rachel just thinks to herself, Jeremy... Will you ever notice me?

Jeremy just continues chatting away happily with his friends, not even giving Rachel a single glance. Her mysteriously haunting magenta eyes gazing intently at him, he still fails to see that she thinks the world of him. "Hey! Jeremy, wanna go for dinner?" One of Jeremy's closest friends called out to him, seeming very eager.

"Oh, sure! I'd love it, Blake!" The voice of a cinnamon-coloured haired girl responded. Jeremy, just sat there, eyes thoughtful. Voice expressing his exhaustion, he reluctantly said "Okay, I'll go..."

Despite the many friends Jeremy had, he never seemed to appreciate them one bit. He was always keeping to himself no matter how much anyone tries to get closer to him. But, unfortunately, unlike Jeremy, Rachel didn't have any friends at school. No, not even a single one.

Yet, Rachel still didn't have the courage to confess to him. All her cousins, siblings and relatives were very daring and bold people, but they were so daring and bold that all of them stood out from the others in the very same way a diamond would in a pile of rocks and pebbles.

In her whole family, she alone was the odd one out. The one who couldn't even muster enough courage to confess. But, in truth, not everyone can confess, right? In spite of her lack of courage, she still went on ahead and followed Jeremy as he sauntered out the school gates, running a hand through his hair, with his friends.

Slowly, but surely, puuting together the little pieces of courage scattered throughout her being, she called out as loud as she could. So loud that even Rachel herself didn't know how in the world she managed to do so. "Jeremy, wait!"

Just as she expected and wanted, he turned around and his seemingly intimidating gaze rested on her. "What is it?" he asked, showing no interest at all. She approached him slowly, making sure she didn't trip along the way. Playing with her fingers, she looked at the tiny rocks and smooth pebbled beneath her feet. "Is it true that... um, you are friends with... my elder brother?" her meek voice surprised him.

"Yes, it's true. I _was _friends with your bro before he died in that plane crash. Why and what's your name?" Rachel's heart lept jubilantly as he asked her that. "Um... My name's Rachel Everwitt... I just wanted to ask to make sure. My brother requested me to tell you... that you can come to me for help any time, that's it... I guess I'll see you around." With that last sentence, she walked past him and rode a cab back to her parents' ancient manor.

Just as Rachel stepped into the place, her other brother asked, suspicion distinct in his tone, "Where were you? You usually reach home by 5 pm on Thurdays. Did you make a new friend or something similar?" Trudging up the stairs leading to her room, her private space, she responded "I had just had to wait a longer period of time for a cab to pass by. Nothing changed."

...

Rachel sighed, throwing her things onto the couch and flinging herself onto her bed. Sometimes, she earnestly wished that more than one person cared for her. Not just her only living brother, Andrew, but also her mom, her dad, her other siblings and relatives... They didn't give a damn, they _couldn't_. She has and always will be forever more, an outcast in the Everwitt family.

Apart from Andrew, her other kin looked down on her, for being so timid, so meek and so intimidated at nearly everyone. But, the one and only reason why the Everwitts were so bold was because they were far superior to humans in almost every single way. And they _knew_ they were superior.

Why? Simple : The Everwitt family was a family of powerful witches. Witches that directly descended from Hecate, the Witch Queen, if you want to stroke their ego. The laws of the Night World clearly stated that no member of the Night World was to let any human being know that they existed and the law also forbade any Night Person from falling in love with a human. In addition to that, the penalty of breaking either of these laws was death.

Despite her family's social status in the both the Night World and the human world, Rachel was still as timid as a mouse. And she herself knew she would never be like the rest of her family.

**Chapter 1 is now over! I hope you enjoyed it! ^_^**


	2. Mysterious boy

**Here is the next chapter! ^_^**

~No one's POV~

...

"Okay, class. The students from our class that were chosen to be the escourts for 2 of the 42 foreign students coming to our school are Jeremy Ashworth and Rachel Everwitt!" Mr Hale's cheery voice rang out. Rachel's other classmates clapped and cheered loudly. But in her heart, Rachel knew they were clapping and cheering for Jeremy, a person who was known throughout the whole school as someone who was never, _ever_ enthusiastic about anything.

But does that mean I'll be working alongside him? Rachel thought. I wonder what big sister Jessica would do if she were in my postion?

"The foreign students will be here tomorrow. But it's not confirmed that the foreign student will be your age or of the same gender, please take note of that fact. Is everything clear, Rachel, Jeremy?" Mr Hale asked. Both students nodded in understanding.

Really, what would big brother Andrew say if my Japanese buddy was, in fact, a boy? Rachel pondered in her thoughts again. "But, for one thing, I do know that the foreign students will either be French, Japanese, English, Korean or Spanish. I also heard from my colleague that 12 of them are Japanese, 8 of them are French, 9 of them are Spanish, 6 of them are Korean and 7 of them are English. Judging from the numbers, it would be safe to say that your buddy will most proabably be Japanese."

...

"Konnichiwa, everyone~! My name is Ryuu Nagasaki and I have been told that my buddy from Montefort High School is Jeremy Ashworth. I am very happy an dexcited to be here in America! Pleased to meet all of you!" an amiable-looking boy with neat ash blonde hair and dazzling cyan eyes exclaimed.

Unlike Ryuu, a fine-looking boy beside him, who had a mysterious feeling about him, kept mum and refused to utter even a single word. His tousled maroon hair was definitely something to admire as it gave others that the impression that he was wild but can be tamed.

But his eyes were truly something different; they were the exact carbon copy of Rachel's. Haunting, mysterious and beautiful, something that seemed to explore the contents of your very soul and being through your eyes.

Out of the blue, the maroon-haired boy straightened himself out from leaning casually against a wall and started speaking "My name is Han Seung-long. I come from Pyeongyang in North Korea. It's... an honour to meet all of you. I hope I won't be a burden to anyone."

Rachel wished as hard as she could that her buddy would be Ryuu, and not Seung-long, as Ryuu seemed much easier to get along with and he was really more the type of person Rachel liked being with. But, despite her thoughts, Rachel sensed a certain familiar feeling from within Seung-long that she couldn't quite name.

But as she eyed a 24-carat gold watch on his wrist, she saw a picture of a black flower on it. A black dahlia to be exact; the sign to let other Night People know and recognise you as a witch. So, Seung-long is a witch..? Rachel spoke to herself in her thoughts yet again. I wonder... if he knows any magic... I'd like it if he teaches me some. Andrew, Jessica, Rosella and not even Jason, would teach her any magic.

Just because she was the youngest among the four siblings, just because she was the youngest memebr of the Everwitt family; in the eyes of her aunts, uncles, cousins and everyone else besides Andrew and Jason, though he's already gone, Rachel was, by far, the most naive of all.

Even more naive than her cousin, Annette Everwitt, who was only 3 days older than she. "Okay! Rachel, your buddy is Seung-long while Jeremy's buddy is Ryuu! Thanks you everyone and see you tomorrow!" Mr Hale chirped.

Rachel sighed a quiet, hopefully unheard sigh. Just as she expected, her buddy was the seemingly dangerous and wild Han Seung-long of Pyeongyang, North Korea, a boy who looked like a felon who just recently did a jail break and broke successfully out of prison.

Everyone filed oout of the classroom, except Rachel and Seung-long who remained in their places. Unknowingly, Rachel neared him and introduced herself "Um... Hi there. I'm youur buddy here at Montefort High for the next two weeks. You'll... uh, be staying at my house during your stay here." she began, not facing him, playing with her fingers.

She suddenly looked up to face him and beamed amiably. "If there's anything you need, please, don't hesitate to come to me!" Seung-long looked at her, as if examining every single detail of her slender body. She took his hand and led him out of the classroom and school. "You don't mind me holding your hand... Right?"

Gosh, why did I even think of this? I'm so embarrassed! Stupid dummy! No holding a boy's hands without asking again, okay? Rachel blamed herself for not thinking twice. "That's okay. Whatever you want..." he told her, but not in a reassuring manner. She hailed a cab and they got into it for the ride to the Everwitt Manor.

Boy, I hope I don't do anything stupid in front of him again...

**That's it, folks! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! :) I'll really try to update my two stories as soon as possible! Sorry, if the next time I update will probably be next month or even longer than that! T.T**


	3. The secrets he shouldn't know

**Me : Hi all! I'm so so so so so so so sorry for making you guys wait so long for me to update this story! T.T The long wait is very much regretted... I ran out of decent (to me) ideas to use in this story, so that resulted in the long, long wait. I shouldn't piss you guys off any longer with my nonsensical ramblings, right? Here ya go! ^_^**

~Rachel's POV~

...

Hesitantly, I pushed open the doors of my parents' grand mansion. "Um... I hope you like it here. Choose any room you like... as long as my mom and dad approve. But I have a feeling they're going to make me sleep in the same room as you." Seung-long glanced around the whole lounge and seemed to let his gaze linger on the bedroom with warning signs, such as 'Keep out!' or 'Do not disturb', pasted on the door.

"The room with signs on the door is to my liking... Is the room occupied by anyone?" I wanted to say 'Hey, that's _my _room!', but bit down hard on my bottom lip to prevent those rude words from escaping. Sheepishly, I told him "Uh... Mr Seung-long? That room is mine..." while scratching the back of my head.

Why do I feel so uneasy around him? There's really nothing wrong with his appearance and his voice... Maybe it's just the kind of... um, aura he gives off? Should be... Right? "Rachel?" that word brought me back to reality. "Um, yes?" Aw, crud. I sound stupid.

"Don't use 'mister' on me. It makes me feel old and I hate feeling old. Call me 'Seung-long', just like how my friends do." My eyes widened fractionally. "Uh, okay..." I looked at the Turkish carpet beneath my feet and played with my fingers. I should probably stop doing that... "You're a witch, right?" Seung-long's voice made me look back at him again.

He's a witch too, and I would be safe to say that I _can _tell him that I'm one too... But I don't know if he has any bad intentions... "Yeah..." I replied. "Are you a direct descendant of Hecate?" he fired another question at me.

"Uh, my parents and siblings say I did. I know that if one descended directly from either Hecate or Hellewise, their surname would be Harman and that they would have violet eyes. But my grandparents decided to keep our heritage a secret... Yeah, so my family is called the Everwitt family, not Harman. And I'm wearing contacts to make my pupils look magenta, not violet, in order to prevent any other witch from realising that I'm one too. My relatives also wear contacts... So, I'm not the only one..."

Whoops... I'm not supposed to let an outsider to my family know. Big brother Andrew's going to wallop me if he knew... "Why are your family members going so far to protect you?" That question sounded accusing. "Because they know I'm a disgrace to them. Because they know I'm not worthy to be called a witch. Because I don't know how to use any type of magic." Tears were already forming beneath my eyelids.

I forced back the tears that were threatening to roll down my cheeks. "If that's the case, I'll teach you . Maybe next time you'll be able to show off your mad skills." Is it just me or did he sound more, what do you call it, _normal_? The way he said those two sentences sounded so typical of Jason. Jason... He died just half a year ago and I miss him so much already.

"And, take off your contacts. I hate those things, so small, yet so evil. No witch would be dumb enough to harm you if I'm around." Huh? What did Seung-long mean? "What... are you trying to tell me?" By accident, I blurted out "Are you an evil witch running away from Thierry Descouedres and the Night World council?"

Horrified at my own action, I clamped my two hands tightly over my mouth, lest it speaks more words I don't him to hear.

**Me : That sucked, didn't it? I know it's short... T.T Couldn't think of any other good ideas... Until next time, everyone! ^_^**


	4. Knowing more about him

**Me: I'm so so so so so so so so so so very sorry that I've taken so long to update but look on the bright side; the next chapter FINALLY here! Yay~ ^_^ I got writer's block right after the previous chapter!**

~Rachel's POV~

Seung-long shook is head at my question. "I just that thought that since I'll be staying here for the next few months, I might as well pay you back by protecting you." The hand clamped so tightly over my mouth dropped to my side and I cocked my head to the left a little in a confused manner.

"Months? Mr Hale said 2 weeks!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening slightly more at each word I said. Ah, me and my strange outbursts... I'm the only person I've ever looked at who's like this... Again, Seung-long shook his head. "I'll be here for half a year."

Then, another weird thing happened. Seung-long grinned a smile that was, repeatedly, so Jason. "What? Why did Mr Hale say _2 weeks _when he meant _half a year_?" I tried to make myself and my mouth stop bombing Seung-long with questions that came one after the next, but I failed so miserably.

His facial expression changed into that of a person who was deep in thought. "..." He opened his mouth to speak but closed it a second later. "..." He opened and closed his mouth yet again. I giggled slightly, covering my mouth with my hand to prevent him from seeing.

_He kinda looks like a guppy. Hahahaha... :D _

Seung-long's eyebrows were knitted together for a few seconds and his face returned to it's usual emotionless, and blank, look. "...Mr Hale... Is probably just a weirdo. And I am now telling you that my clothes and my other belongings will be here by tonight in a cargo box. And I will sleep in your room, which I predict has it's own bathroom."

My jaw dropped like how it always does in anime.

_He wants to sleep in MY room of all the rooms in this house?_

A hand waved itself in front of my face before I snapped out of my thoughts back into reality. I shook my head vigorously as if to clear the thoughts away. An eyebrow on Seung-long's, I admit, handsome features was raised. "Why not? At least I can disturb you when you want to sleep." And so, he smiled a creepily mischievous smile.

A utterly, and truly, shocked look pasted itself onto my face. As quickly as a light travels, that look was gone and a calm, collected one replaced it. "Do you suffer from multiple personality disorder, Seung-long? Why were you so dark and mysterious-ishy at school but are now having the personality of a typical annoying brother that a typical girl would have?"

He lifted his head and glanced at the chandelier hanging high above our heads. He then looked back at me and answered "Because when I'm at a place where I don't know anyone, I'll be emo. But the opposite happens when I know someone. And I know _you_. So, I'm like this."

_He said 'I know **you**'..._

"What's that supposed to mean?" I retorted. "You sound like a dude who doesn't remember his memories but suddenly does..." He smiled again, a Jason-like one this time. "... It means I regard you, Rachel Everwitt, as a friend."

I stared at him upon his response, and he stared right back with an equally indifferent stare, now without that smile.

"Rachel, since when did you have a boyfriend?" That demanding voice made me look away from the staring competition Seung-long and I were having. With eyes that widened considerably when I saw who it was, I replied in a respectful tone of voice "This person is not my boyfriend, Mother. I was chosen by Mr Hale to be his host while he stays here in America, with us. Father knows about this and I am really surprised he did not inform you."

_Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... _

I was literally melting at that piercing gaze she was throwing at me.

_Why's she giving me her signature suspicious 'Oh **really**?" look? C'mon, Seung-long... Help me put here, won't ya?_

Mother looked straight in front of her, and, in a sense, strutted down the stairs and stood in front of us, Seung-long and I. Her cold, fierce features softened almost instantly as she laid her icy orbs on Seung-long.

_O.o Does she think he's hot? O.o O. M. G._

My fashionista mother extended a hand warmly towards him and, with a gentle but faint beam on her face, said "Nice to meet you. I am Isabelle Everwitt, cute little Rachel's mother."

My eyes shot back to Seung-long to see what his reaction would be.

_Shake her hand, dude. SHAKE IT IN A NICE AND FRIENDLY WAY. It seriously stinks whens Mother's offended; she'll throw you out of the house..._

Sure enough, he shook her hand briefly and then, let go, all done in a professional manner, without even a minute change in expression.

_Wow, I have to learn how he does that..._

**Me : Yay~ Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And I had to bang my head on my arm to think this up and it HURTS. But it's okay; I love writing stories and updating makes me happy too~ :D :D D :D :D :D :D :D :D See ya real soon~**


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